Celebratory gunfire occurs in Kabul by Taliban fighters following the departure of the last aircraft carrying U.S. troops. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid says during a news conference that "it is a historical day and a historical moment" and that "the Taliban are proud of these moments, that we liberated our country from a great power."
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August 31, 2021 (Tuesday)
3.1 minutes to read
Armed conflicts and attacks
Eleven Islamic State militants are killed in a raid by Pakistani counter-terrorism units in Mastung, Balochistan Province, where ISIL militants had recently killed two police officers. Suicide belts, hand grenades and assault rifles are seized during the raid.
The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan says that their fighters have killed eight Taliban members in clashes in the Panjshir Valley, the final stronghold outside of Taliban control. A large number of Taliban forces have been deployed near the valley, while negotiations take place in order to resolve the conflict.
Disasters and accidents
California fire officials issue an evacuation order for the Lake Tahoe Basin as the Caldor Fire continues to spread. The fire has burned 177,000 acres and destroyed over 470 structures so far.
The United States Forest Service orders all national forests in California to be closed until mid-September in order to help combat the state's wildfires.
Two people are killed and 10 more are injured after a 50 foot section of Mississippi Highway 26 collapses west of Lucedale, Mississippi due to Hurricane Ida.
Health and environment
Israel reports a record 10,947 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,066,352.
The Irish Cabinet approves a plan that would lift all COVID-19-related restrictions in Ireland on October 22 subject to 90% of adults being vaccinated and the number of COVID-19 cases remaining manageable.
The top medical adviser to the government says that the vaccination of children between the ages of 12 and 17 years old is "crucial" in order to prevent more fatalities among children as Fiji has reported ten children dying from COVID-19, most recently a six-month-old boy who was infected with the Delta variant.
The Bangladesh Armed Forces receives a consignment of COVID-19 vaccines from China's People's Liberation Army for the first time as part of foreign military assistance.
Morocco begins a COVID-19 vaccination program for children aged 12 to 17 years old in an effort to ensure their return to schools.
Idaho governor Brad Little activates and deploys the Idaho National Guard to hospitals to stop the spread of COVID-19 cases in the state.
Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf announces a mask mandate for Pennsylvania schools and daycares. The mandate will take effect on September 7.
The World Health Organization designates scientifically-named B.1.621 variant, known as "Mu" and first detected in Colombia, as variant of interest, amid concerns that it has mutations which suggest it is more resistant to vaccines.
International relations
The Indian ambassador to Qatar Dr. Deepak Mittal meets with Taliban representative Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai in Doha to discuss the repatriation of Indian citizens who are currently in Afghanistan.
Australia signs a vaccine swap agreement with Singapore that will allow it to receive 500,000 doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from Singapore later this week.
Law and crime
A court in Bangladesh sentences six men affiliated with Ansar al-Islam, an organization linked to al-Qaeda, to death, for the 2016 murders of two gay rights campaigners, including Xulhaz Mannan. Local gay and LGBT organizations welcome the verdict.
Twenty U.S. states, led by Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery, file a lawsuit against the Biden administration in an attempt to halt new regulations put forth by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the United States Department of Education promoting transgender rights in schools, alleging federal overreach.
The Peruvian judiciary kicks off a preliminary court hearing against Popular Force leader Keiko Fujimori to decide whether to prosecute her for money laundering and her involvement in the Odebrecht scandal.
Politics and elections
Science and technology
A SpaceX Dragon 2 from the re-supply mission SpaceX CRS-23 successfully docks with the Harmony module of the International Space Station, carrying 4,800 lbs. of supplies.
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